Human pressure perception values for constant and moving one- and two-point discrimination

Despite the need to evaluate sensibility for accurate diagnosis and the need to record the degree of sensation achieved in the postoperative period, the clinician has been w ithout the ability to m easure hum an pressure perception accurately. T raditionally, the Semmes-Weinstein m onofilam ents were used to m easure the static onepoint discrim ination threshold. A new sensory testing instrum ent, the Pressure-Specifying Sensory Device, was used to obtain norm ative data from the index and little finger o f the dom inant hand in 35 people ranging in age from 16 to 83 with no known neurologic im pairm ent. Pressure perceptions for static one- and two-point discrim ination (s 1PD, s2PD) and moving one- and two-point discrimination (m lP D, m2PD) were recorded. T h e mean values (±SD) were 0.13 ± 0.06, 0.24 ± 0 .1 2, 0.22 ± 0.10, and 0.26 ± 0.13 gm /m m 2 for slP D, s2PD, m lP D, and m2PD, respectively, on the index finger and 0.07 ± 0.05, 0.16 ± 0.12, 0.17 ± 0.07, and 0.21 ± 0.14 gm /m m 2 for slP D, s2PD, m lP D, and m2PD, respectively, for the little finger. T h e little finger was significantly m ore sensitive than the index finger (p < 0.001). There was no significant change in pressure perception with increasing age.